Lady Bulldog Tennis Falls To South Carolina 7-0 In Friday Match

STARKVILLE, Miss. - MSU's women's tennis team (2-9, 0-5 SEC) fell to the 34^th ranked Gamecocks of South Carolina (11-4, 3-2 SEC) at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.

"We had a really big win on court 1 of doubles today," coach Daryl Greenan said. "Unfortunately we are battling through some injuries right now and we had to withdraw from a couple matches. Hopefully we can get six healthy girls on the courts to compete at Florida on Sunday."

Starting in doubles action, the Gamecocks took the early doubles point. On court 3, the Gamecock pair of Katerina Popova and Madeleine Saari-Bystrom defeated State's Vivian Pietraroia and Danielle Terpko 8-1. South Carolina's tandem of Miljana Jocic and Anya Morgina topped Mariia Ryzhova and Jordan Zachary 8-2 at the No. 2 position.

At the top spot however, the Lady Bulldog pair of Alexandra Perper and Olesya Tsigvintseva took down South Carolina's 34^th ranked duo Dominika Kanakova and Dijana Stojic 8-4.

Heading in to singles action, Lady Bulldog senior Elizabeth Hall withdrew early from court 6 after falling behind 5-3 to South Carolina's Adriana Pereira. In the five spot, Kanakova took down Pietraroia in a two setter 6-0, 6-0. Also, at the No. 3 spot Terpko fell in a two set decision to Popova 6-2, 6-0.

In the second position, Ryzhova withdrew during the second set as 103^rd ranked Stojic took the match 7-6, 2-1 (def.). Battling on court 4 was Tsigvintseva who eventually fell in two sets to Saari-Bystrom 6-2, 6-2. At the top spot, Perper dropped a tough first set 7-6 and eventually dropped the match to 41^st ranked Morgina 7-6, 7-5.

The Lady Bulldogs are back in action on Friday, April 8 against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Match time is set for 3 p.m. CT at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre where admission to all MSU home matches is free.

Mississippi State 0, #34 South Carolina 7
3/25/2011 - STARKVILLE, Miss. A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre

Doubles
1) Alexandra Perper/Olesya Tsigvintseva (MSU) def. #34 Dominika Kanakova/Dijana Stojic (USC) 8-4
2) Miljana Jocic/Anya Morgina (USC) def. Mariia Ryzhova/Jordan Zachary (MSU) 8-2
3) Katerina Popova/Madeleine Saari-Bystrom (USC) def. Vivian Pietraroia/Danielle Terpko (MSU) 8-1

Singles
1) #41 Morgina (USC) def. Perper (MSU) 7-6, 7-5
2) #103 Stojic (USC) def. Ryzhova (MSU) 7-6, 2-1(def.)
3) Popova (USC) def. Terpko (MSU) 6-2, 6-0
4) Saari-Bystrom (USC) def. Tsigvintseva (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
5) Kanakova (USC) def. Pietraroia (MSU) 6-0, 6-0
6) Adriana Pereira (USC) def. Elizabeth Hall (MSU) 5-3 (def.)

Order of finish... Doubles (3,2,1) Singles (6,3,5,2,4,1)